1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus control method using image information recorded especially on a paper recording medium as a man-machine interface and an apparatus control system using this method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Household electric apparatus such as video decks and information apparatus such as personal computers have rapidly become widely used in recent years. However, it is very difficult to operate these apparatus for children, old persons or handicapped persons and a method to operate the apparatus control more easily is desired.
Two-dimensional code printed sheets of paper have been used recently to control apparatus. That is, a technology to regenerate voices by scanning two-dimensional codes with a scanner has been developed.
However, in this method using paper media, the printing and design of surfaces of paper media are restricted because two-dimensional code printed paper media are used.
Further, an exclusive use manufacturing apparatus is needed for a technology to unify paper and an exclusive use remote control device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-operate method and system for controlling apparatus with less restriction of design of recording media and requiring no exclusive use manufacturing apparatus.
The present invention provides a method comprising the steps of reading composite image information comprising main image information and hidden image information included in the main image information in the hardly visible state, the hidden image information comprising hidden information related to control instruction of a controlled apparatus, and the composite image being recorded on a recording medium; restoring the hidden information by extracting the hidden image information from the read composite image information; decoding the control instruction from the restored hidden information; and controlling the controlled apparatus by executing the decoded control instruction.
Further, the present invention provides a system comprising means for reading composite image information from a recording medium that recorded the composite image information formed by embedding hidden image information comprising hidden information related to a control instruction of a controlled apparatus in main image information in the hardly visible state; means for restoring the hidden information by extracting the embedded hidden image information from the composite image information read by the reading means; means for decoding the control instruction restored by the restoring means; and means for controlling the controlled apparatus by executing the control instruction decoded by the decoding means.